Oysters Rockefeller - cooking recipe

Ingredients

24 oysters, on the half shell
1/2 lb butter
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
1/2 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chopped watercress
1/3 cup chopped fennel
1/3 cup fine soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup anisette or 1/4 cup Pernod
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450\u00b0F (230\u00b0C).
Fill 4 tin pie plates with rock salt and arrange oysters on the half shell on each.
In a skillet heat the butter, add the parsley, celery, shallots and garlic and cook 3 minutes.
Add the watercress and fennel and cook until the watercress wilts, about 1 minute.
Pour the mixture into the container of a food processor and add the remaining ingredients.
Blend until the sauce is thoroughly pureed.
Place 1 Tbs of the sauce on each oyster and spread to the rim of the shell.
Bake the oysters just until the sauce bubbles, about 4 minutes.